JULY ARTIST OF THE MONTH

Email interview with Family Force 5, guitarist-Chap Stique
June 25, 2007

www.myspace.com/familyforce5

Every once in awhile I get a chance to interview a band that is exploding onto the scene and I don't know what to expect.  Doing email interviews saves myself and the artist a lot of time but at the same time it is hard to capture their true intentions and thoughts at times. I expected Family Force 5 top be comical in their replies but I was interested in their approach when asked deep and meaningful spiritual questions. I had the chance to meet with them at Cornerstone this week and talk with Chap Stique about the interview.  What I found was that their seriousness about Jesus is both the same on and off the stage.  It was obvious that these guys want to have a freaking amazing time on stage but it was also obvious they want people to know their love for Jesus.

Dennis: I know many artist hate this question but how did you come up with the name Family Force 5?
Chap Stique: The band originally started going by the name “The Phamily.”  There are 3 brothers (Soul Glow Activator, Crouton, and Fatty), and their mom used to run sound for us (she bumps the bass like you’ve never heard, and we still fly her out to important shows).  Finally, the father used to help with a bit of the management.  Hence, The Phamily was a pretty incredible name. Unfortunately, we were informed that a toilet paper company already had rights to the name, so we had to change it (Prince also had a band called “The Family”). Thus, we chose Family Force 5 because it sounded like a big Voltron robot.  We draw most of our inspiration from ‘80’s cartoons, and we basically had fantasies of forming together as 5 different body parts to form a giant defender of the universe that fought draygons (spelling intended) and wizards.

Dennis: You guys hit a wide spectrum of the concert scene from Christian Festivals to The Warped Tour. And I hear, literally on your myspace, that you will now be hitting the road in a BIG tour bus. Is that the sure sign of success for a band?
Chap Stique: It’s the sure sign that we will not be as mal-nourished, stanky, and baggy-eyed as we have been for the past couple of years, but I don’t think there is such a thing as a sure sign of success for a band.  Unless you get to open up for Neil Diamond. 

Dennis: What are your thoughts when people accuse you guys of taking music serious?
Chap Stique: Family Force 5’s first record is called “Business Up Front, Party in the Back” for a couple of reasons.  First of all, it pays homage to the greatest coif of all-time.  Secondly, it is a phrase that represents the mentality of this band.  We are extremely serious about making quality music, and about being original, fresh, and creative.  The five of us write and rewrite parts all day long, and there is not a minute wasted when we are on the road (which is pretty much every day of our lives).  Whether we are filming scenes for the Really Real Show, building confetti bombs for the live show, or choreographing dance moves on the bus, Family Force 5 is an extremely dedicated band that is always working to do everything in its power to keep its fans entertained.  However, the art we create ends up turning into a party.  So we’re very business-like on the front end of things, but in the end, it becomes dance-party-USA the second we hit the dance floor.

Dennis: What is your favorite type of mullet and where have you seen the most so far this summer?
Chap Stique: When we went to Europe last summer, Crouton decided it would be awesome to have a mullet and a moustache, so he cut his hair (he used to be a stylist at a salon) and grew a killer ‘stache.  I’ve seen a lot of mullets in my day, but this one probably takes the cake.  Here’s a picture of Crouton from last summer:

To answer the second part of our question, we saw a lot of mullets last night in Kentucky.  We also saw a lot of Dukes of Hazzard shirts and Bass Pro Shop hats.  Normally, whenever we see a bunch of preserved gator heads in the gas stations as we approach a city, we rest assured that a herd of mullets awaits us.

Dennis: If Carmen got into a fight with Kid Rock who would win and why?
Chap Stique: If you asked me that question last week, I would have said Carmen.  However, if you check out our myspace, you can see a cartoon in which I rescued the rest of the band from Carmen rather easily.  Our break-dance fight was a little too much for him to handle, and we won pretty convincingly without much of a challenge.  So, I’d say Kid Rock…he’s from the durrty south, and looks like he could put a whoopin’ on somebody’s booty.  Plus, he travels deep.

Dennis: Now on a bit of a serious note...so many people try to act like Christianity is supposed to be boring. What most excites you about a relationship with Jesus?
Chap Stique: What is not exciting about being unconditional love and total liberation?!  Although at times I see tremendous value in meditation and “being still,” I have never understood why traditional Christian tradition has focused so much on laws, guidelines, and creeds.  Those are exactly the things Jesus Christ came to destroy! 
A long time ago, the world was in a very dark, rigid state as a result of oppressing obligations that were strictly governed by people who’s doctrine relied on obeying rules.  Along came an individual who performed healings, shattered the belief system of his culture, prophesized about the future, taught some of the most incredible stories of all time, and created a movement that has lasted 2,000 years after his death!  This is no ordinary man, and learning about him and his ministry encourages me daily to go deeper into becoming the person God created me to be.  The message of Christ was not filled with “do not’s” and “stop that’s.” 
One of my favorite verses is Galatians 5:1, which says, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.  Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery (NIV).”  Because of Jesus Christ, we are able to abandon the guilt-based systems that people so regularly place on themselves and on others.  We as humans all have an innate desire to comprehend God, or what we think of as holy.  I find nothing boring about meeting and knowing a man we Christians believe to be the Word of God, Wisdom of God, Son of God, and sacrament of God.

Dennis: When was the last time you struggled with your faith and how did you overcome that?
Chap Stique: Faith is a lot like learning to ride a bike.  You start with the big wheel, and it’s hard.  Then, after you get comfortable with the big wheel, you move up to a big-boy/girl bike with training wheels.  It’s harder.  But after you get the hang of that, the training wheels come off, an it’s even harder.  In the end, you have scrapes, bruises, and maybe even some broken limbs…but the important thing is that you have grown and matured as a bike-rider.  Unfortunately, we are often told that struggling with faith is wrong.  I personally feel that my most mature moments have resulted from extremely challenging moments of questioning and seeking God.  I have plenty of scrapes and bruises, but the good thing about them is that they heal stronger than they were before the wound.  The only thing about faith is that you must keep challenging yourself…don’t stop once the training wheels are off.  And although I don’t usually like bumper stickers, you can slap one on your motorcycle that says, “Not all who wonder/wander (pun) are lost.”

Dennis: What has been the craziest rumor you have ever heard about FF5?
Chap Stique: We heard that Mandy Moore had a crush on Fatty.  I think it’s true, but hey, who doesn’t?  Can’t blame her, because he’s got some big guns.

Dennis: If you had to pick one band (past or present) to tour with for a summer, who would it be and why?
Chap Stique: I’m terribly sorry to be rude for a second, but hold on…”No, Red Hot Chili Peppers!  I told you that we’re too busy this summer. We won’t take you on tour with us!  And tell Led Zeppelin, James Brown, Foo Fighters, and Depeche Mode to chill out back there, too.  We’re opening for a lot of good puppet shows this year, and we’re tired of your charity!”
I guess it would be Michael Jackson, but nobody would ever offer to take us on the road.